Sea Otters
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Sea Otters
Sea otters are a threatened species found in the Pacific Ocean off the
Central Coast of California. Their range extends from Año Nuevo (9 miles
north of Santa Cruz) to Purisima Point (just north of Point Conception).
Additionally, there is a small colony off San Nicolas Island near Santa
Barbara. Usually sea otters stay close to shore, but sometimes they are
found out as far as 3 miles from shore.
The smallest marine mammal in North America, sea otters are actually
related to weasels and skunks. Like them, they have stubby little front
paws. Sea Otters are about 4 feet long. Female otters weigh an average of
45 pounds and male otters weigh an average of 65 pounds. Sea otters
live an average of 10-11 years.
Sea otters are a threatened species found in the Pacific Ocean off the
Central Coast of California. Their range extends from Año Nuevo (9 miles
north of Santa Cruz) to Purisima Point (just north of Point Conception).
Additionally, there is a small colony off San Nicolas Island near Santa
Barbara. Usually sea otters stay close to shore, but sometimes they are
found out as far as 3 miles from shore.
The smallest marine mammal in North America, sea otters are actually
related to weasels and skunks. Like them, they have stubby little front
paws. Sea Otters are about 4 feet long. Female otters weigh an average of
45 pounds and male otters weigh an average of 65 pounds. Sea otters
live an average of 10-11 years.
They rarely come ashore, and are usually seen in or near kelp beds. They wrap themselves in the kelp so they can
rest without drifting away.
Sea otters eat abalone, urchins, snails, crabs and other shellfish.The sea otter is unique in that it is one of only a
few animals known to use tools.
Floating on their back, they place a rock on their chest and pound open their hard-shelled prey. Sea otters burn
calories quickly and may eat up to 25 percent of their body weight each day.
Unlike whales, sea otters lack blubber. They depend on their thick, water-resistant fur to stay warm.which they
spend a large portion of each day grooming. Grooming is the way otters force air bubbles down next to their skin.
These air bubbles act as insulation for warmth and provide buoyancy.
Sea otter fur is the thickest fur of any animal. It has 600,000 to 1 million hairs per square inch - humans only have
20,000 hairs on their whole head! It is important for otters to keep each individual hair clean. If the fur isn't clean
then it gets matted and otters can die from hypothermia.
rest without drifting away.
Sea otters eat abalone, urchins, snails, crabs and other shellfish.The sea otter is unique in that it is one of only a
few animals known to use tools.
Floating on their back, they place a rock on their chest and pound open their hard-shelled prey. Sea otters burn
calories quickly and may eat up to 25 percent of their body weight each day.
Unlike whales, sea otters lack blubber. They depend on their thick, water-resistant fur to stay warm.which they
spend a large portion of each day grooming. Grooming is the way otters force air bubbles down next to their skin.
These air bubbles act as insulation for warmth and provide buoyancy.
Sea otter fur is the thickest fur of any animal. It has 600,000 to 1 million hairs per square inch - humans only have
20,000 hairs on their whole head! It is important for otters to keep each individual hair clean. If the fur isn't clean
then it gets matted and otters can die from hypothermia.
Fur traders seeking these lush pelts hunted sea otters to near-extinction in the 1700s and 1800s.
Two hundred years ago, a million otters may have ranged along the 6,000 miles of Pacific coastline from northern
Japan, through the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, down the coast of California to Baja Mexico. Because the pelts of
sea otters are thick, warm and beautiful, fur hunters killed hundreds of thousands of them - until not a single
otters was visible along the entire California coastline
The southern sea otter was thought to be extinct. Then, in 1938, a raft of about 300 otters was discovered off the
coast of Big Sur, California. This group has spread along the 200 miles of California coastline, but its population
is still small - only about 2,300.
(Read this very good article on the historical exploitation of the sea otter.)
The sea otter population has slowly grown over the years, but is still threatened by oil spills and pollution. Oil
coats the fur, destroying the blanket of air that keeps the animal warm. This causes chilling and death
(hypothermia). Fishing nets are another cause of sea otter deaths. Sea otters become caught in the nets and
drown. Laws have been passed to limit the use of fishing nets along the coastline. This has helped sea otter
populations.
Southern sea otters are now protected by the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act,
so they cannot be hunted.
Two hundred years ago, a million otters may have ranged along the 6,000 miles of Pacific coastline from northern
Japan, through the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, down the coast of California to Baja Mexico. Because the pelts of
sea otters are thick, warm and beautiful, fur hunters killed hundreds of thousands of them - until not a single
otters was visible along the entire California coastline
The southern sea otter was thought to be extinct. Then, in 1938, a raft of about 300 otters was discovered off the
coast of Big Sur, California. This group has spread along the 200 miles of California coastline, but its population
is still small - only about 2,300.
(Read this very good article on the historical exploitation of the sea otter.)
The sea otter population has slowly grown over the years, but is still threatened by oil spills and pollution. Oil
coats the fur, destroying the blanket of air that keeps the animal warm. This causes chilling and death
(hypothermia). Fishing nets are another cause of sea otter deaths. Sea otters become caught in the nets and
drown. Laws have been passed to limit the use of fishing nets along the coastline. This has helped sea otter
populations.
Southern sea otters are now protected by the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act,
so they cannot be hunted.
| Check out their sea otter cam. |
| Some incredibly cute video of sea otters, taken at the Vancouver Zoo. |